Reserves Emily Scarratt and Vickii Cornborough have been withdrawn from England’s Rugby World Cup clash with South Africa on Sunday after picking up knocks.
The Rugby Football Union (RFU) said Loughborough Lightning centre Scarratt, who scored all her team’s points in last Saturday’s 13-7 defeat of France, and loose-head prop Cornborough were assessed on Saturday and “it was felt best” they sit out of the final Pool C match as a precaution.
Cornborough’s Harlequins team-mate Shaunagh Brown comes into the starting side at tight-head prop with Gloucester-Hartpury’s Maud Muir moving to the bench on the other side of the scrum.
‘Quins utility Ellie Kildunne scores a role on the pine at Waitakere Stadium in Auckland in place of Scarratt.
Flanker Marlie Packer will captain England for the first time in the match.
England will bid to extend again their world-record run of 27 consecutive Test victories, having thumped Fiji 84-19 and ground past France 13-7.
Middleton’s side have the chance to seal top spot in Pool C and the most favourable route into the knockout phase.
England team to face South Africa in New Zealand on Sunday: S McKenna (Saracens), A Dow (Wasps), H Aitchison (Saracens), T Heard (Gloucester-Hartpury), J Breach, Z Harrison (both Saracens), L Packer (Harlequins), H Botterman (Saracens), C Powell (Gloucester-Hartpury), S Brown (Harlequins), R Galligan (Harlequins), C O’Donnell, M Talling (both Loughborough Lightning), M Packer, P Cleall (both Saracens). Replacements: A Cockayne (Harlequins), M Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury) S Bern (Bristol), Z Aldcroft (Gloucester-Hartpury), S Kabeya (Loughborough Lightning), L Infante (Saracens), H Rowland (Loughborough Lightning), E Kildunne (Harlequins).
